Exceptions and time off in lieu. In special circumstances, when things of value must be protected, the working session can be lengthened to up to 16 hours, subsequent to which a period of 11 hours rest must be given immediately after work without impairment of rights to fixed daily pay. In instances where special circumstances make it unavoidable to deviate from the daily resting time, the following applies: If employees are specifically requested to turn up for work before 11 hours rest has been reached, it is authorised to postpone the rest and provide it later, in such a manner that time off in lieu, 1½ hours (day work) is accumulated for each hour that the rest period has been curtailed. It is authorised to pay out ½ hour (day work) time off in lieu, if the employee so wishes. In all instances, it is unauthorised to shorten an 8- hour period of continuous rest. If an employee works for a long time before a holiday or weekend and does not get 11 hours’ rest on the basis of a normal start of the working day, then this should be treated in the same way. If an employee comes to work on holiday or weekend, overtime is paid for worked hours, without further additional payments for this reason. The above provisions do however not apply to scheduled shift changes where it is authorised to shorten resting time to 8 hours. Accrued time off in lieu according to the above shall be shown on the payslip and shall be given in half or whole days outside company high season, in consultation with employees where the accrued time off in lieu is at least 4 hours. At the end of employment, an employee’s unused time off in lieu is settled and is considered to be part of the duration of employment. It is unauthorised, without the agreement of the employee, to schedule work in such a way that accrued time off in lieu is taken at a time when the employee is travelling for his/her employer, or is working at some distance from his/her home or base, except as normal continuation of the earning of holiday rights (í eðlilegu framhaldi söfnunar).
